Boron-containing small molecules as anti-inflammatory agents

Abstract

Methods of treating anti-inflammatory conditions through the use of boron-containing small molecules are disclosed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 60 / 823,888 filed on Aug. 29, 2006 and 60 / 774,532 filed on Feb. 16, 2006, which are herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.BACKGROUND FOR THE INVENTION[0002]Irregular inflammation is a major component of a wide range of human diseases. People suffering from degenerative disorders often exhibit excess levels of pro-inflammatory regulators in their blood. One type of such pro-inflammatory regulators are cytokines including IL-1α, β, IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-12, IL-17, IL-18, IL-23, TNF-α, LT, LIF, Oncostatin, and IFNc1α, β, γ.[0003]A non-limiting list of common medical problems that are directly caused by inflammatory cytokines include: arthritis where inflammatory cytokines can lead to lesions in the synovial membrane and destruction of joint cartilage and bone; kidney failure where inflammatory cytokines restrict circulation...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Some diseases in advanced stages can be life threatening.

Several methodologies are available for the treatment of such inflammatory diseases; the results, however, are generally unsatisfactory as evidenced by a lack of efficacy and drug related side effects associated therewith.

It either spares the rectum, or causes inflammation or infection with drainage around the rectum.

Patients with prolonged UC are at an increased risk of developing colon cancer.

There is currently no satisfactory treatment, as the cause for IBD remains unclear although infectious and immunologic mechanisms have been proposed.

Long-term therapy may cause liver damage (fibrosis or cirrhosis) and bone marrow suppression.

Also patients often become refractory to such treatment.

Psoriasis may also cause intense itching and burning.

However, they are generally considered to be only disease suppressive and disease modifying; none of them are curative.

Moreover, many treatments are either cosmetically undesirable, inconvenient for long-term use, or associated with significant toxicity.

Potential side effects for current TNF-α inhibitors of the prior art, however, are severe, including development of lymphoma (Brown, S. L., Arthritis Rheum, 46: 3151-3158, (2002)), worsening congestive heart failure, resulting in a serious infection and sepsis, and exacerbations of multiple sclerosis and central nervous system problems (Weisman, M. H., J Rheumatol Suppl, 65: 33-38, (2002); Antoni, C., Clin Exp Rheumatol, 20: S152-157, (2002)).

Immunosuppressive agents have the potential to increase the risk of infection, reactivate latent, chronic infections or increase the risk of cancer development.

Although many advances have been made in the understanding of the biological properties of psoriasis over the past two decades and an unconventional treatment for psoriasis has become available as described above, much of the suffering it produces is still not adequately addressed.

The inflammatory cells can also invade and damage bone and cartilage.

The joint involved can lose its shape and alignment, resulting in loss of movement.

Conventional treatment is unfortunately inefficient in RA (Bessis, N., J Gene Med, 4: 581-591, (2002)) (29).

Also, these medications carry a risk of serious adverse effects.

The therapeutic effects of the disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as Methotrexate (MTX) are often inconsistent and short-lived.

While providing significant efficacy and a good overall safety profile in the short and medium term in many patients with RA, these biologic treatments may create serious problems and long-term side effects, such as in the liver, and still need to be evaluated.

While anti-TNF antibodies have shown protective effects in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), they aggravate the disease in MS patients, suggesting that inhibition of TNF-α alone is not sufficient (Ghezzi, P., Neuroimmunomodulation, 9: 178-182, (2001)).

AD seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities.

PK is caused by the degeneration of the pigmented neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain, resulting in decreased dopamine availability.

The causes of these neurodegenerative disorders are unknown and there is currently no cure for the disease.

Positive response of CD patients treated with IL-10 demonstrates that there might also be an imbalance between the production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in CD.

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